


Party Crasher

by CocotteJenn



Series: DC Comics [2]
Category: DCU (Comics), Justice League International (Comics), Justice League of America (Comics)
Genre: Cheesy, F/M, First Meetings, Fluff, Love at First Sight, Meet-Cute, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-12
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-08-22 15:39:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16600772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CocotteJenn/pseuds/CocotteJenn
Summary: Long ago, Ralph Dibny - aka the World-Famous Elongated Man - crashed New York's International Debutante Ball where he met the lovely Sue Dearbon. Little did he know it would be the start of the greatest love story of all time.





	Party Crasher

**Author's Note:**

> I've wanted to revisit the Dibnys' first meeting for a while (ever since Ralph first appeared in the Arrowverse, actually) and I finally finished working on that one-shot :)
> 
> I used Secret Origins #30 and (God help me) Identity Crisis #1 as inspiration. A couple of dialogues and situations are actually taken straight up from those two comics. Hardcore fans may find some other references hidden here and there as well :)
> 
> Enjoy!

New York’s International Debutante Ball is one of the biggest events of the season. Anyone who is anyone is present at this party and if Ralph can get one of them to sponsor him, or better yet _hire_ him to… do whatever it is that needs doing, then this would undoubtedly become the best night of his life.

_This is it_ , he thinks. _This is my time to shine!_

Of course, he hasn't exactly been invited, but he’s managed to sneak in without much trouble. From his hiding spot, contorted behind a small ficus tree, he watches the parade of beautiful young women in their white gowns, each with a handsome escort at their sides. He's seen most of the people in this room in the papers before. CEOs, politicians, the heads of the richest families in the country and of course, their offsprings, the heirs to their empires of wealth. _La crème de la crème_ , as they say in France.

_Alright, it’s now or never._ Ralph pops his head out of the plant, extending his neck in a display of his talent. “Don’t worry, ladies and gentlemen, I’ve identified the jewel thieves!” The crowd jumps at the sudden intrusion and all heads turn towards him. He hears a few gasps as he stretches the rest of his body into full view. 

“Excuse me! Who are you?” a gruff man intervenes.

Ralph gives him his brightest smile. “Why, I’m the World-Famous Elongated Man, sir.” He extends his rubbery arm in the man’s direction as a gesture of goodwill. After a small moment of hesitation, the man shakes his hand begrudgingly.

“Jewel thieves?!” one shocked socialite exclaims. The women in the room instinctively put a hand over their necks and wrists to check if their priceless accessories still hang there. They do because there are no thieves. Ralph isn't proud of the lie, but he needed an excuse to crash the party.

He stretches his body all around the room, making a show of looking for the non-existent robbers. They all watch him in awe as he slithers from one corner to the next. He hears the sounds of cameras capturing his every move and has to force himself not to smile too much, lest his trickery be discovered. He does, however, try to strike some nice poses every time he comes close to one of the photographers.

“They must have run out when they heard I was coming! Well, thank goodness the Elongated Man was here, eh? Note, that’s E-L-O-N-G…”

Ralph can still pinpoint the exact moment when it dawns on them that this is all just an elaborate publicity stunt. He can still see the annoyance settling on their faces. This kind of show might have worked on a more impressionable crowd, but these are people who are familiar with the ins and outs of advertising. Half of them have already turned their backs on him and Ralph expects security to escort him out of the building shortly.

This is bad.

In a desperate attempt to regain their attention, Ralph uses his stretching abilities to grab a nearby buffet table and lift it off the ground. The silverware and china plates make a loud clattering sound as they fall to the ground. The roast splatters on the marble floor, leaving greasy stains on the polished shoes and delicate garments of anyone standing nearby. The party guests grunt with indignation. Some look at him with disdain, but most just try to flee as far away from him as possible, as if his stupidity was contagious.

This is a disaster.

“Disgusting,” he hears from no-one in particular and suddenly, Ralph wishes he had never crawled out of that damned potted plant.

“Say, I’ll bet you couldn’t pick me up like that…” a cheerful voice rings over the crowd of grossed out party guests. Ralph turns around to face the girl who spoke. His eyes grow wide when they find her. For a few long seconds, he just stares at her speechless, his mouth slightly agape, because she’s beautiful and she just challenged him to sweep her off her feet. He hesitates a moment, not sure if she is serious about it or not. But then he decides that he’s got nothing left to lose so he might as well humor her. His arms are stretched halfway towards her when he spots a red blur out of the corner of his eye. _How the hell does he know where I am?_ Ralph ponders as the Flash stops to a halt in the middle of the room.

All of a sudden, everyone in the room has completely forgotten the Elongated Man’s presence. Their eyes light up as they gather around the Scarlet Speedster and start asking for autographs. True to himself, Barry Allen smiles, shakes hands and answers every question these people have, no matter how trivial. Ralph watches his friend work his magic with a mix of amazement and disappointment. Why couldn't he be just a little bit more like that? What does the Flash have that he doesn't? _I fought bad guys too once!_ Granted, Barry had helped a little that day, but still… _What am I missing?_

“My name is Sue,” he hears the girl next to him say and it takes Ralph a few seconds to realize that she is still talking to _him_. He takes his eyes off the Scarlet Speedster and looks at her, _truly_ looks at her. She’s one of the debutantes, all dressed up in white in a soft satin dress. He’s seen her picture in the papers before. She’s Susan Dearbon from Westchester County. Her father is the CEO of a big high tech company that specializes in computer engineering. She recently inherited a fortune from an old aunt. Half of the richest bachelors in the country and across the ocean have their eyes set on her. She eats brunch with the likes of Bruce Wayne and Oliver Queen. And yet, here she is, talking to him, Ralph Dibny from backwater Nebraska, as casually as she would catch up with an old friend.

He loses himself in her eyes. They are such beautiful eyes, as blue as the calming sea and focused solely on him, not at all drawn to the crimson-clad superhero like the rest of the crowd. Ralph thinks he wouldn’t mind drowning in those eyes. She smiles mischievously, and he is suddenly acutely aware that he is wearing a skin-tight costume that stretches with his limbs. He has to think about Captain Cold pole dancing in order to prevent his body from betraying him.

He smiles back at her. “I'm Ralph,” he tells her, completely forgetting about his secret identity.

“It's a pleasure to meet you, Ralph.” She shakes his hand with a firm confident grip, her breathtaking smile only growing wider.

She leads him to a quiet spot, far from the rest of the crowd. His heart starts racing in his chest when it occurs to him that they are now completely alone, well away from any prying eyes.

“Why, _Mademoiselle_ , what will the people think?”

“Nothing,” she tells him. “They're all too busy to notice you and I are even gone.”

“I doubt that very much. Woman like you, I'd notice it right away if she went missing.”

“A ‘woman like me’? What’s that supposed to mean?”

He can feel his face growing warm. “You know…” he trails off. She raises an eyebrow and gives him a look that says yes, she knows but wants to hear him say it anyway. “A woman as beautiful as you.”

“Well, you’re not so bad yourself,” she says, eyeing him up and down. “Though your costume could use a little upgrade.”

“What’s wrong with it?” He looks down at the purple fabric covering his body. “Is it the color? I love it, but I've heard purple is often associated with supervillains.”

She frowns. “No, the color is fine. It's one of my favorites, actually. But it's a little bit too… monochrome.”

“So the color _is_ the problem.”

She laughs quietly. “It’s just a bit plain. It lacks a certain _je ne sais quoi_. A logo on the chest, perhaps. Or a different color in the bottom.”

“I'm not wearing briefs over my pants. I'm not Superman, I can't pull it off.”

This time, her laugh echoes through the hall. “Noted. But you still need a more exciting costume, something that screams ‘ _Here comes the Elongated Man!_ ’ not ‘ _There’s a chewing gum stuck under my shoe_.’”

“Maybe I should let you design it if you’re such an expert.”

She smiles. “Maybe you should. When is your birthday?”

“March 21st,” he announces proudly, throwing his secret identity completely out the window.

“I’ll have to remember that then, won't I?”

He can't quite figure out whether she is talking seriously or not. Is there a chance, perhaps, that they'll see each other again? Ralph thinks he'd like that a lot.

“I wanted to thank you, by the way.”

“What for?” he asks.

“Saving my life.”

Ralph frowns. He doesn't remember ever rescuing her, and he hasn't saved enough people to forget any of them, least of all the most beautiful woman he's ever met.

“This party was awfully boring,” she explains. “I was contemplating sneaking away for a nap. But creating a scandal by disappearing with a superhero is much more exciting.”

He hopes his mask is wide enough to hide his spreading blush. “You really think I'm better company than all these fine people?”

“My escort spent the whole evening talking about the weather. And don't get me started on my parents.” She sticks out her tongue in a grimace of disgust. “I’ve always hated these High Society rituals, but in retrospect, I don’t regret doing this one.”

“Oh? Why is that?”

“I got to spend some quality time with a strapping young superhero. How wonderful is that?”

Ralph puffs his chest up with pride. “Well, spending some quality time with a charming young lady isn’t so bad either.”

They make conversation. They banter together, bouncing remarks back and forth like two kids with a ball and it feels so easy and natural. Like old friends teasing each other, joking and laughing together. Hard to believe they’ve only just met.

“So Ralph, how did you get your powers?”

He chuckles. “Aren’t you a little busybody!”

“Does that mean you’re not going to me, then?”

“If you must know, it was through hard work and dedication, like everything else I do.”

“That’s a little vague.”

“I’m not going to spill all my secrets in a single night. I have to keep some for later.”

It’s a bold move, he knows it. To flirt with her, to assume she would accept to go on a date with him is a gamble, but what does he have left to lose? He lost his dignity a long time ago, before he even reached high school. Or maybe he never had any to begin with. At any rates, it's far too late for him to back down now.

She snickers. “You'll have to pass the Dearbon test if you want to go on a date with me, Mister World-Famous Elongated Man.”

“What's the Dearbon test? And what do I have to do to pass it?”

“You’ll have to find out for yourself,” she taunts him with a smug smile on her pretty face.

His nose wiggles left and right like a cartoon hound on the prowl. “I smell a mystery.”

“Oh, it's cute!” she coos. “Do it again!”

“Hey! I'm not some circus monkey!”

She snorts. She _actually_ makes an adorable pig-like sound. It surprises him a little, coming from an upstanding lady. But he only likes her more for that.

“You did look a little like one earlier,” she tells him. Then, seeing the hurt on his face, she places her delicate hand on his shoulder in a gesture of comfort. “And there's nothing wrong with it. Making people smile gives them hope. Isn't that what your friend is doing right now?”

He pouts. Even _that_ , Barry can do better. “I suppose so.”

“Why did you come here anyway? I hope it wasn't for the canapés, they were dreadful.”

“Maybe I really am after some jewel thieves!” She quirks an eyebrow. “Fine! I thought it would give me some good publicity.”

“Aren’t you already ‘world-famous’?”

Ralph grimaces. “Not as much as I'd like to be.”

“You know, if that's what you want, I don't think you're advertising yourself to the right crowd.”

“Is that so?”

“The rich and famous don't really need the help of a masked hero. You should be aiming for the little people. They're the ones who will raise you up.”

“I know,” he sighs. “And don't get me wrong, I'd like nothing more than to travel the world and help those who really need it. But this lifestyle costs money. I don't know how the other heroes do it. Perhaps they have another job on the side, but I sure don't and a boy's still gotta eat, you know.”

“Why don't you have a job? You seem like a competent man.”

He shrugs. “This.” He gestures toward the other end of the room, toward the Flash's location. “This is all I've ever wanted. People recognizing me, asking for autographs, taking pictures. Praising me… Oh, but you don't want to hear about my woes.”

“If that's what this is all about, I'd be more than happy to help you. I've got an uncle who is a movie producer. He has some connections in the entertainment industry. I think he could hook you up with someone if I were to ask him. Though I’m afraid you might have to play the circus monkey some more if you’re really looking for fame.”

She looks so earnest, so ready to give _him_ , a complete stranger, a fool and a clown, a helping hand.

“I… I'll think about it. Thank you, Ms Dearbon.”

Her lips twitch into the shadow of a smile. “Please, just call me Sue.”

He smiles back sheepishly, his ears growing hot. “Thank you, Ms Sue.”

They fall into a comfortable silence and spend the next minute or so gazing into each other's eyes like in a cheesy romcom. The only thing missing is the music. Although, if Ralph stretched his ear far enough, he might be able to hear a soft melody hailing from the ballroom.

“So…” Sue's cheeks take a rosy tint. “Would the World-Famous Elongated Man honor me with a dance?” she asks as if she could hear his thoughts.

He wants to say yes. He wants to spend the whole night with her if she’ll have him. But despite their easy banter, he’s still painfully aware that she’s a high society New York debutante and he’s just a small town boy from Nebraska. _She’s probably just being polite anyway_ , he thinks. Before he can actually make up his mind though, Ralph feels a breeze pass by him, promptly followed with a small tap on his shoulder. “Time to go, buddy,” Barry announces with an apologetic look.

_No, just a little bit longer, please._ But he knows that he’s already overstayed his welcome. So he makes a big show of his exit. He stretches all over the place, knocking a few tables over in the process ( _oops_ ) and almost getting himself stuck into a knot. Barry groans, his hand covering his face. Sue laughs wholeheartedly and claps her hands in an enthusiastic applause. She’s the only one who does, everyone else is too busy giving him the stink eye. But Ralph doesn't care what they think, she is the only one who matters at this moment. Even Barry’s approval - or lack thereof - takes a back seat every time his eyes lend on her. He gives the crowd a deep bow and kisses Sue’s small gloved hand. Before he can take his leave though, she ties a linen napkin around his left wrist. “Thank you for livening up the party,” she tells him with a playful glint in her eyes. “It was getting quite dull.” She then cranes her neck to kiss him. It’s a small peck on the cheek, but he hears the loud click of a picture being taken and he knows all this will be blown out of proportions in the tabloids tomorrow. He is unlikely to ever see her again, but they’ll probably make it look like the start of the greatest love story of all time. He can’t help but smile like a blissful idiot at the thought of that kiss, though. Still, he is glad to have met her and to have spent these few lovely minutes in her company. 

The Flash grabs him before he can open his mouth to say anything. Next thing he knows he's standing in his hotel room, listening to his best friend chastise him about his childish behavior. Apparently, someone in attendance called Iris West to give her a scoop: _Elongated Man Crashes New York Debutante Ball_. She then told her boyfriend, Barry Allen, who rushed halfway across the United States to get him out of this mess. Ralph barely listens to him, his mind still on the beautiful brunette who captured his heart.

Later that night, as he is getting out of his costume to head into the shower, Ralph notices a small black mark on the otherwise pristine piece of white cloth tied around his wrist. He spreads the napkin on his bed and smiles. _I guess I passed the Dearbon test, after all_ , he thinks.

_ You still owe me a dance, Mister World-Famous Elongated Man. Call me. Sue. _

Maybe it did turn out to be the start of the greatest love story of all time after all.


End file.
